Oprah, Queen of all Media

So, Oprah was duped by a former drug addict, cum author, who told her what she wanted to hear to pass along her own form of "feel good spiritualism." James Frey told her the story about addction and recovery. He wrote about suicide and police confrontations and how he was addicted to drugs and what he did to get the drugs and how he became clean and sober. It was the "gist" of the story that mattered when she called Larry King to defend her "Oprah's Book of the Month Club" author. Her word meant that millions of copies of the book would be sold. He was guaranteed fame and success. Any subsequent books would result in large advances, national or international book tours, adoring fans. In other words, he would be exchanging one addiction for another.

But, then the house of cards on which this fame and his story were built, came crashing down with a good, old-fashioned Oprah butt -whuppin' on national television. And somewhere during the course of his comeuppance, public sentiment started to shift, even if ever so slightly. Poor James Frey had to suffer humiliation in front of millions of television viewers. Oh, the shame, Oprah. How dare you flog someone when he thought he was your friend?

Of course, public perception started to change as the Smoking Gun report came to light and the truth was about to unfold. Oprah decided it was time to cover her assets. Where once the overall message was what was important in Mr. Frey's book, now it was the "truth" that mattered. Oprah doesn't like feeling "duped" but most likely, Oprah doesn't like the public to think that she is anything less than "above the fray" or is that "above the Frey"?

The whole story reminds me of a recent Scrubs episode where Jordan was conned by a repeat-offender drug addict. He gave the sob story of not being able to see his son because of a lack of money due to his hospitalization. She gives him $500 and at the end of the episode he is sitting there handcuffed after being arrested for trying to buy drugs. The storyline is that when someone is so addicted they will do anything, say anything, or be anyone they need to be in order to get the next fix. It is the same whether it is drugs, alcohol or the need for recognition, fame or fortune.

For Oprah, I'm guessing, that the fix is public approval, though she should have garnered enough over the last two decades to last an eternity. Sometimes even that isn't enough for some people. Most likely, it will be long-forgotten in a few months when the next "story for the ages" comes along.